Gum shoe and boot



L'. BAUHOBPBR'.- GUM. SHOEl 0R BOOT.

No'. 31,146. Patented Jan. 22, 1861.v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS BAUHOEFER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GUM SVI-ICE ANI) BOOT.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,146, dated January 22, 1861.

' To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUis BAUHOEFER, of the city of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gum Shoes and Boots; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the saine, reference being had to they accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Myv invention consists in combining with the heel or the sole or with both of an ordinary gum shoe or boot, pieces-of cork substantially in the manner described hereafter so as to present a surface partly of cork and partly of gum elastic for contact with the ground thereby insuring that adhesion of the shoe to damp ice and snow and other smooth and wet surfaces, which is wanting in ordinary gum shoes and boots.

In order to enable others to make my invention I willlnow proceed to describe the manner in which I carry it into eect.

On reference to the accompanyingdran ing which forms a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a gum shoe with my improvement, and Fig. Q is a ground plan of Fig. 1.

The shoe A is, as regards form and construction, similar to what are commonly sold as gum shoes or overalls the material of which it is composed being gum elastic lined with muslin or other suitable fabric. In the heel of the shoe is formed a dovetailedA recess and into the latter is fitted a block B 'of cork the thickness of which is equal to the depth. of the said recess.

It is well known to wearers of gum shoes that when used for walking over snow and ice or smooth and wet slabs they cause much annoyance and not unfrequently dangerous accidents, owing to their tendency to slip.

Cork possesses peculiar adhesive qualities and maintains 'that retentive hold on wet snow and ice and other damp surfaces which is the best security against slipping.

In securing the cork to the heel gum elastic cement or any other suitable fastening may be used or the cork block may be applied and secured during the process of manufacturing the shoe or boot.

As a further security against slipping any convenient number of cork strips (shown in red lines) may be secured to the sole of the shoe or boot or pieces of cork of any form may be attached to the sole during the process of manufacturing the shoe or boot, lor subsequently by gum elastic cement orv other fastenings.

It is not necessary that the cork attached to the heel should be in one piece, as two or more blocks may be applied so as to present suficient cork surface for contact with the ice and snow. It is advisable however 'in all cases to completely surround the edgesof the cork blocks or strips with gum elastic so that the latter will protect the cork and prevent it from being broken or clipped.

IVithout confining myself to any particular vform of cork blocks or strips or to any precise mode of securing them to the shoe or boot, I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

The combining of pieces of cork with the heel or sole both of a gum shoe or boot substantially in the manner herein set forth for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in-the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS BAUI-IOEFER.

lVitnesses HENRY I-IowsoN,

JOHN IVHITE. 

